That France’s 🇫🇷 Bastille Day and America’s 🇺🇸 National Macaroni and Cheese Day share a ‘holiday’ date is quite the cosmic co-occurrence. There’s zero documentation or indication that the corporate trade associations and calendar registries that declared the national mac & cheese food holiday just over a decade ago had any clue (they certainly didn’t document or declare it) about that dish’s deep French culinary connection—and chef James Hemings (b. 1765) most certainly was not on their radar.
However, through my independent scholarship, research, and writings, I’ve observed and tracked cosmic historical intersections like this, and have to say it was my consistent dot-connecting over the years that’s shed light on several layers of “hidden in plain sight” chronological coincidences herein. An ‘unearthing of and polishing bits & pieces’ journey I’ve been dedicated to since first being introduced to James Hemings' legacy by Chef Ashbell McElveen, the visionary behind founding the James Hemings Society, which I helped him co-found, also over a decade ago…
In the earlier 2000’s, Ashbell was the first on record to publicly provide the facts in full context: that in 1789, James Hemings was a young, enslaved American in Paris, serving as the head chef at Thomas Jefferson’s home, the Hôtel de Langeac (which also functioned as the American embassy). On the morning of July 14th, James was likely doing exactly what a master chef does—procuring, prepping, and executing a high-caliber menu—while the incendiary storming of the Bastille erupted in the streets just miles away. He stood as a literal eyewitness to the birth of the French Revolution, anchoring him to two of the western world’s defining historical moments.
But the culinary revolution he brought home was just as massive. James took the elite, creamy French techniques he mastered in Paris and married them with the simpler baked pasta dishes popular at the time. The result? A cross-cultural masterpiece that permanently redefined American comfort food.
We can't celebrate this day without shouting out our brilliant contemporaries, either. Sending a massive happy birthday to my incredible American chef colleague born on this historic day—nearly two centuries after James witnessed the revolution. AND, quite cosmically I might add, the American-born, classically French trained (and French speaking!) Chef Holland recently launched this UVA course in June of 2026 : From Hemings to Holland: African American French-Trained Chefs with VA Roots — making the cosmic timing and alignment of this date even more goose-bumpy ✨…
Cheers to you on your birthday, Chef Tanya ! 🎊
🎉Joyeux anniversaire !
James' legacy reverberates through time—laying a nutrient-rich soil that sprouted American cuisine so to speak, and most certainly inspiring greats like Chef Edna Lewis, born nearly 150 years later (on the same April day as Thomas Jefferson, no less!) in a neighboring Virginia county—historically linked to Madison, Jefferson’s close friend and political ally. It was there in Orange County that Edna's grandfather, Chester Lewis, was born into slavery before being emancipated and going on to help co-found Freetown, the autonomous farming community where Edna would later be born and raised.
*************************
Hungry for more? Including all the stories behind the beautiful ‘special-occasion’ mac & cheese casseroles in my photo carousel above? And why there is nary a pic of any boxed mac & cheese aberration to be found?…To get the full story you've got options and choices: subscribe to my Substack and/or join my Patreon community which each provide pathways to connect with me directly. And be sure to check out Ashbell's fantastic documentary James Hemings: Ghost in America’s Kitchen (keep an eye out for my cameo! 😉).
There are many ways for you to choose inclusive intel over ignorance and pull up a seat at a more honest American table. I look forward to welcoming you there!
**************
🍳 CHECK OUT my 🇺🇸 America’s 250th and JAMES HEMINGS HUBs on Linktree to learn why I've established #JamesHemingsJuly : Dig in deeper and discover more on America's first master chef and his unmatched culinary legacy .
🖇️ CHECK out my total LINKTREE for at a glance updates, info & experiential events [+ subscribe so you won't miss a single bite of hidden history as it continues to unfold…]
👉🏿 FIND MORE FREE TFG CALENDAR CONTENT HERE 👈🏿